[Histonet] best perfusion solution for spinal cord

[Caroline Bass]

Hello,

I was hoping you guys could help me with something.  I have a friend  
who is using rat spinal cord injury models.  He needs a good method  
for fixing the spinal cord to examine both morphology of the spinal  
cord tissue and various proteins by IHC.  What is the best method of  
fixation for this?  I assume that what is best for the brain is  
usually best for the spinal cord.  I recently read that some use a  
sucrose solution in their perfusion protocol.  I have always just  
dropped the brain into 25% sucrose overnight to cryoprotect.  I never  
considered using it in the perfusion.

Any help would be appreciated.  I am particularly interested in which  
formulations of fixatives are best and why.  For example, could NBF  
be used?  I mostly see paraformaldehyde in use, usually 2 or 4%.   
What are the advantages of this over NBF?

Thanks,

Caroline Bass